mulesuk

Windsor Great Park 2005

We had to call to our out rider (on a bike) to get a move on through the forest as Charcoal was trotting at full throttle, she likes soft going.



Saddle chariot 2007

What a smart little mule - she's really refined, such neat little legs!! Where did you find her?

I bought her for £100 from the local gypsies. "Age 2 " turned out to be 10 months old with scruffy foal coat growing out and a big belly.
She was a problem for them loading/leading plus she would shriek if any of the ponies were out of sight. The first time I saw her she was munching grass on the verge (loose) with gravel lorries whizzing by.
I had to cut a rope off from her neck and it left white hairs.
I think she came from Farnborough and had access to the caravan as she will get in or out or over anything. I once left her tied to a flatbed against a fence and found her on the otherside on my return!

What's the tack you're using Ruth?

Well the Saddle Chariot harness is from Simon - apart from the bridle which is from our first set in pic one (Steinke but refurbished by Plas Equestrian) It has leather blinkers & pad upper. Charcoal goes in a butterfly ported bit which is lighter than a liverpool. I like webbing harness as it is light, flexible and easy to clean.

It was the excersize gig harness I was thinking about,so nice to see stuff with colour
Were you at the Mule Days when they held it at the Brewery the year Meredith Hodges came over cos I've just found some photos

Very Very smart - any more photos of mule days past, Jenny?

Do you know who it is in the bowler hat? Beautifully turned out.

If I can get my scanner working I'll sort some more out
(Personally I thought they looked as if they were done up for a 1930 pony club do or hunt....nobody dresses like that nowadays lets see some modern dress in the ring for a change)

Will look forward to them! What year was it?

Have to say when I took muley out last year - I was always approached by strangers to say how beautifully turned out we were, I think alot of people still like to see old fashioned turnout too. And as a photographer I love smart people, so much nicer to snap!! We shall agree to disagree I think?!

You don't think modern riding gear is smart?
Didn't write down the year I'll have a look through some old Mule journals.I think it was before I got Blue,early 1990's I think,I'll check

Depends what you mean by modern riding gear TBH? Round here in the summer you will see teenage girls out at shows with low cut tops or crop tops on (oh and its never the slim ones!!) as the other half would say "not a pound of it hanging the right way" Its just not a good look!!

Hate to see dirty horses at shows or out hunting, totally disrespectful to land owners and judges and then there are those with the lame horses, the shoes hanging off, the fag hanging out of the mouth..... (I won't bore you and keep ranting!)

It was the exersize gig harness I was thinking about,so nice to see stuff with colour

I ordered brown with red trim as i wanted to be visible on the roads! (1992) It had to be altered a few times over the years to accomodate the changing mule body...

Were you at the Mule Days when they held it at the Brewery the year Meredith Hodges came over?

Yes, I was there with her and I remember Sir ST's mule Bella driven there. I think that's the first time we saw Jenny the little grey driving mule too.

What year was it?

It was 1993

Charcoal looks beautiful. How tallis she, she looks very similar to Muffin. We are hoping to get Muffion a saddle chariot next year, they look so much fun. We picked up a big cart today for our Ardenne mare, we just have to find harness big enough to fit her now!!!!

She's 10hh and now 20yrs old.